Brush cleaner



June 16, 1925. 1,542,025

c. w. BALLMAN BRUSH CLEANER F1 ed Nov. 17. 192: s sheets sheet 1 INVENTOR. (71/7/94 is M! 13/14 4 Mfl/V.

ATTORNEYS.

June 16,, 1925.

c. w. BALLMAN- BRUSH CLEANER Filed NOV.

3 Sheets -Sheett 2 A TTORNEYJI June 16, 1925.

C.. W. BALLMAN BRUSH CLEANER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fil Nov. l7.

('HHEL is W 5/71. 4 MAM m/awiw A TTORNEYJ provide acleaner for brushes which will heel thereof.

Patented June 16, 1925.

' 1,542,025 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. BALLMAN. OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

BRUSH CLEANER.

Application filed November 17, 1923. Serial No. 675,351. 1/

To all: whom it may concern:

eit known that I. CHARLES 7. BALL- .1\[.-\N.. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Indianapolis. county of Marion andState of Indiana. have invented a certain new and useful Brush (leaner; and I do hereby. declare that the following is a full, clear. and exact description thereof. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts.

#Thisinvention relates to a device for cleaning brushes and the like, and is particularly adapted to clean fiat brushes.

The-chiefobject'of the invention is to clean sour orlousy brushes within the capacity of the device and clean said brushes from thebristle ends to substantially the The chief feature of the invention consists in providing a pair of brushes each having 'oneor more flat blades and which rotate :oppositelyrso that the bristles of one brush blade,while rotating, will Work well within thepath .of travel of the bristles off another blade of the adjacent brush.

. whereby the brush to be cleaned will be alternately and oppositely engaged by the bristles of the adjoining brushes which pass from the heel. to the bristle ends and which by reason ofthe present construction enters the brush to be cleaned with a slapping or whipping action. whereby the bristles of the cleaning brush are forced into the brush to becleaned adjacent the heel thereof and substantially through the same, and then are passed downwardly through the brush to be cleaned to separate, straighten and clean the bristles thereof.

Another feature of the invention consists in providinga reservoir through which the brush blades passfor conveying cleansing fluid if desired, and this is true for hard brushes, to. thebristlesof the brush to be cleaned where the fluid passes downwardly along said-bristles and through the same to increase the rapidity with which the bristles of the brush to be cleaned can be separated and cleaned. The fluid discharging from the brush to be cleaned and carried therefrom and therethrough by-the bristles of the cleaning brush is discharged or returned to the reservoir with. the paint particles, whereupon the paint particles settle in the bottom of 'the reservoir and may be reclaimed for priming purposes. It is to be understood that it is not. necessary to utilize a cleansing fluid if brushes are cleaned immediately f0llowing use, but best results are obtained from the additional use of a cleansing fluid in the reservoir.

Another feature of the invention consists in the construction of the device whereby the brush to be cleaned may be positioned and supported by a portion of the device in a predetermined relation with respect to the cleaning brushes, whereby the operator is not required to devote his entire attention to holding and positioning the brush to be cleaned, but is enabled to devote a portion of his attention to operating the device, as well as holding the same from slipping. at the same time holding the brush in position to be cleaned.

Another feature of the invention consists in the several structural details, Whereby the parts are readily assembled; and when tassembled, form a splash-proof construcion.

Other features of the invention will be more specifically pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the brush cleaning device embodying the invention. showing a brush to be cleaned positioned therein. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the invention. Fig. 3 is a side elevational view thereof. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention with the brush to be cleaned shown dotted therein. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the invention. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a pair of modified cleaning brushes, showing the relationship therebetween. Fig. 7 is a similar view of another modified form of cleaning brushes.

In the drawings 10 indicates a reservoir or chamber having an inturned upper ed e 11 which has a parallel portion 12 peripherally defining said reservoir. Said parallel flange 12 is int-urned at 13 to form a rest or supporting ledge. The flange or ledge construction constitutes a splash-proof joint with the cover 14. The cover 14; hereln is shown provided with two pairs of aligned openings 15 and 115. In one pair of openings, upon one side, there is seated by press fitting or the like a shaft bearing 16 having a shaft-receiving opening 17 therein. A brush supporting shaft 18 has an elongated portion at one end. Due to the resiliency of the sides of the cover 14, said elongated end of the brush supporting shaft, after being positioned diagonally in the opening 115 opposite the shaft bearing supplied opening 15, has its other end seated in the shaft bearing opening 17 by springing outwardly the sides 14 of the cover a suflicient distance to permit said end to be seated in the bearing. Each shaft extension projecting through the opening 115 in the cover 14 carries a pin or key 19 seatable in a slot 20 formed in a gear 21. The gears 21 mesh with each other and thus the shafts 18 have opposite directions of rotation. A ear guard or gear housing includes a dis ed cover plate 22, which herein is shown positioned upon the exterior of the cover plate and the reservoir 10, and not only incloses said gears but depends from the cover 14 and hes parallel to the reservoir 10. Herein the gear housing 22 is suitably secured to the cover 14, as by means of the' bolts .23 and the nuts 24, although other suitable means may be provided. The cover 22 supports a pair of shaft bearings 25 and 26. The shaft bearing 25 has a closed end; while the shaft bearing 26 is not so formed. Extending through the shaft bearing 26 and projecting beyond the same, is the extendedportion of one of the shafts 18; and suitably supported by said extended free end of the shaft 18 is a crank arm 27 having a handle 28. Actuation of the crank handle serves to rotate both shafts 18 in opposite directions, and, of course, in timed relation with each other.

The means for detachably securing the cover to the reservoir in the present instance includes an opening 29 formed in the side of the reservoir 10, .and said opening is adapted to receive a pin 30 having a head 31, which pin head is positioned between the side of the reservoir 10 and'the inner flange 12, thus securing said pin so that the same projects laterally from, and herein outwardly from the reservoir 10. Suitably secured upon the cover 14 is a yielding clip 32, as by means of the rivets 33, which clip is provided with a pin-receiving opening 34 to receive the pin 30. With this detachable connection, it will be understood the cover may be readily detached from and attached to the reservoir 10, to permit replenishing of the fluid in the reservoir 10, or permit cleaning of said reservoir; or to ermit access to the brushes supporte by the shafts 18.

The top of the cover 14 is shown provided with a depressed seat 35 having the side walls 36, and said side walls 36 are centrall apertured to receive the ends 37 of a ball 38 provided with an oifset handle 39. This bail construction permits the cleaner to be transported by can ing, inasmuch as the device does not excee twenty pounds and can be reduced to materially less than this weight. The foregoing construction also permits the bail to lie in the non-transport- .ing position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and

ing the bristle retaining means on the seatwith the bristles projecting through the openin 40 and intothe cleaner, and at the same t1me hold the entire brush cleaner from movement while actuating the cleaning brushes from without the cleaner with the other hand, by manipulating the crank handle.

Herein each of the shafts 18 is shown supporting a brush base 41 of any desired form, which is suitably secured to said shaft 18 as by the cotter pin 42, the shaft and base being provided with registering apertures for this purpose. Interposed between each brush base 41 and the adjacent side wall of the cover 14 not provided with the shaft receiving bushing 16, there is positioned a washer 43 which is of felt. This relatively leak-proof joint between the shaft 18 and the opening 115 of the cover 14 prevents the paint materials from splashing into the gear housing and gumming the gear teeth.

Herein, see Figs. 4 and 5. the preferred form of brush is illustrated. and the same constitutes a flat bladed brush, and in the present form of the invention each brush includes a pair of blades 44, which blades are formed in any suitable manner; and that at resent utilized consists in stapling substantially U-shaped brush bristles to and seating the same in the brush base 41. These bristles preferably are of steel wire having considerable resiliency, but in mass formation being relatively stifi. Herein.

each brush is shown provided with a pair of oppositely positioned blades 44, although as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 said blades need not necessarily be oppositely positioned, but may be positioned in spaced relation about the shaft 18, as may be found desirable. However, see Figs. 4, 6 and 7, the brush blades are so positioned upon the shafts 18 that said brush blades have a common path between their axes and beneath the opening 40 in the cover 14. It will be noted that the bristles of one brush blade Inn Fig. 6 the blades are while rotating, will travel well within the path of the bristles of another brush blade of the adjacent brush. Thus, one brush blade follows the brush blade of the other brush through the common path. The brush blades, therefore, alternately engage the bristles of the brush to be cleaned positioned'in the opening 40 and from o posite sides and pass through said brus as shown clearly in Fi 4. The depressed seat 35 adjoinin and efining the opening 40 is so forme that it constitutes an abutment projected into the athof the bristles constitutingthe brush lade. As shown clearly in Fig. 4, the brush blade engages said abutment and the ends of the bristles are niomentarily retarded until the retardation or bending is sufficient to permit said bristles to escape from-said abutment and resume rotation with the remainder of the brush. Upon the escape from the abutment, said bristle ends move rapidly to catch u with the remainder of the brush; or in otlier Words, resume normal radial position; and in so doing engage the bristles of the brush to be cleaned with a slapping or whip ing action, thereby tearing into the brus and separating clean bristles from each other. Should the heel ofthe .brush be so hard as to defy separation for some time, the same will constitute a con-- tinuation of the abutment 35 and the cleaning blades will gradually work their way deeper into the brush heel, so that after turning the crank several times the cleaning bristles will pass substantially through the brush to be cleaned and also substantially from the heel to the endthereof. The

travel of the blades through the liquid in the reservoir 10 serves to transport a portion of the liquid to the brush to be cleaned,

and thus not only softens the paint, binding the bristles together, but serves to wash the loosened paint particles from the bristles of the cleaning brushes and the brush to be cleaned and discharge the paint into the reservoir.

In Figs. 6 and 7 there is shown a'modilied form of the invention, wherein the flat blades of the brushes are positioned in spaced relation with each other about the brush supportin shaft and in spaced rela-' tion to t e bla es of the other brush. In ositioned at 120 de grecs apart with the b ades of the adjacent brushes substantially degrees apart. In

Fig. 4 the blades of the brushes are substantially 180 degrees apart and are positioned 90 degrees a art with respect to the adjacent brushes. n Fig. 7 the blades are positioned in spaced relation with each other about the brush shaft and at 90 degrees apart; and the blades of the adjacent brushes are positioned substantially at 45 degrees apart. While an increase in the number of brushes may be made, it is not believed that any increased utility will be derived from increasing the number of blades beyond four to the brush, for in such an event, the question of interference between the blades of adjoining brushes becomes at determining factor, especially in view of the whipping action secured as before described. Another determining factor IS the diiiiculty ofinserting the brush to be cleaned between the adjacent brush blades when a large number of blades per brush is employed.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a brush cleaner, the combination of a reservoir, a detachable cover therefor having a brush receiving slot therein, and means supported by the cover and movable into the reservoir when actuated for cleaning brushes inserted into said slot.

2. In a brush cleaner, the combination of a reservoir, a detachable cover therefor having a brush receiving slot therein, a parallel pair of substantially flat bladed brushes rotatably supported within and by said covor parallel to said slot and having a common path beneath said slot and movable into said reservoir when actuated for cleaning brushes inserted into said slot.

3. In a brush cleaner, the combination of a reservoir, a detachable cover therefor having a brush receiving slot therein, a parallel pair of substantially fiat bladed brushes rotatably supported within and by said cover para] el to said slot and having a common path beneath said slot, a pair of meshing said brushes for actuating-l the same, and a gear, housing carried by t e cover and proecting beyond the same to lie adjacent the reservoir.

4. In a portable brush cleaner, the combination o a reservoir, a detachable cover therefor having a depressed seat. with a brush-receiving opening therein, and a bail carried by said cover for transporting the same and said reservoir.

5. In a brush cleaner, the combination of a pair of substantially flat bladed brushes mounted in parallel and in spaced relation for having a common path, and means positioned at each side of said path engageable by each brush blade when moving into the common path for momentarily retarding the movement of the blade end of the engaging brush.

6. In a brush cleaner, the combination of a brush supporting plate having a depressed brush receiving seat with an opening therein, and a pair of substantially flat bladed brushes mounted oppositely from said seat and in parallel w1th each other and the opening and -in spaced relation therewith and each other for having a common path, said brush blades engaging-the opposite face gears positioned atone side of of said depressed seat when moving into the common path for momentarily retarding the engaging end of the engaging brush.

7. In a brush cleaner, thecombination of a reservoir, a cover therefor, and detachably connected thereto to form a housing, brush cleaning means within the housing and movable through the reservoir when actuating for cleaning purposes, and a splash-proof joint between said reservolr and cover.

3 8. In a brush cleaner, the combination of a reservoir, 0. cover therefor and detachabl connected togethemto form a housing, brus cleaning means within the housing and movable throu h the reservoir, and a laterally Ltending edge upon said reservoir for supporting said cover and forming a splashproof Joint therebetween.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affi xed my signature.

CHARLES W. BALLMAN. 

